


Summer Delight

by WrenWriter



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: (☉_☉), Alternate Universe - No Ultimate Talents (Dangan Ronpa), Chiaki has been Hajime's best friend since middle school, Hajime gets compared to Izuru a lot by his parents and he's like, I suck at romance don't @ me, Kind of a slow burn because honestly, Komaeda no like darkness and silence, M/M, Maybe slight OOC, Modern AU, Nagito and Hajime have had no interactions before this, They don't mention dating until the end, hajime and izuru are twins, his luck says ahaha fuck you, i don't know how to tag fuCK, ice cream shop, no beta we die like men, this is my first time writing them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:14:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24117091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WrenWriter/pseuds/WrenWriter
Summary: Hajime Hinata had always been on a repeating loop, going through the same, daily routine almost on autopilot throughout his life. He'd been wishing for a change to spice things up, even if it was just a small nudge.His best friend, Chiaki Nanami, then introduced him to an ice cream shop for the chance of a part-time job. The assistant manager, Nagito Komaeda, hired him on the spot, giving him plenty of opportunities to try new things and explore his interest in the white-haired boy.(Modern Ice Cream Shop Komahina AU)
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito
Comments: 13
Kudos: 146





	Summer Delight

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic for the fandom (and my first time writing some of the characters who appeared here in general) so I hope this turned out okay  
> ヾ(´▽｀;)ゝ  
> My friends dragged me into Danganronpa a few months back, but quarantine made me binge SDR 2 in a week and I fucking love the characters in the 2nd game. Komahina was the first ship introduced to me, but I do hope to find more to write and scream about!  
> Annnd before we move on!  
> I really want to thank one of my Discord friends for giving me, like, 40 Komahina story ideas to write about, because this super fun one-shot wouldn't have been made without his awesomeness. So, like, thanks again Futon, really (๑･`◡´･๑)
> 
> Look forward to more stuff being made perhaps later next one, or two months. Enjoy the story!  
> (❁´▽`❁)*✲ﾟ*

Life was a winding path of infinite choices and unpredictable results. 

It was often a boring, monotonous pattern of routine. Get up, go to school or work for the majority of the day, go home, waste away doing something or nothing. For those who had dreams, it was a fight to achieve their life-long passions. For those without a spark, or a slither of passion to keep living, they wilted away in the edges of society, unseen by anyone else. Fame and money was all society and the media seemed to care about. 

At least, that was what Hajime Hinata thought. 

Hajime slipped his school blazer on, fixed the wrinkles and checked himself in the mirror. Like any other school morning, his routine was the same. Everything was the same, in the motion of rinse and repeat. Even his mind spaced out from exhaustion as he stared at himself. He startled when a knock came from the door, a voice calling out to him. 

“Hajime!” It was his mother. She continued in her usual sharp voice, which was typically used towards him whenever being compared to a certain _someone_. “Izuru has already left for school. It’s about time you go too.” 

He exhaled through his nose, exasperated. “Alright mom. I’ll be out in a sec.” 

Shuffling came from the other side of the door, and he heard the fading footsteps of his mother down the hall. Hajime turned back to the full-length mirror in front of him and his reflection stared back. The short-haired boy turned away from the mirror. He grabbed his phone, wallet, bag and made his way to the front door, double-checking everything. While passing through the kitchen, Hajime snatched up the lunch his mother prepared and stuffed a piece of toast left on the table into his mouth. 

Carefully, he juggled the toast and bento in one hand, kicked in his shoes, and opened the door. “Heading out!” 

Hearing his mother gruffly bid her goodbye, Hajime stepped out into the morning sunlight. The warm spring breeze ruffled his hair, and the bright, honey rays blinded his eyes. It took a moment to adjust to the outside, to the sounds of cars driving by, to the clicks and scuffles of shoes on the sidewalk, and to the sharp tweeting and fluttering of birds that filled his ears. A deep breath of fresh air unwinded him, and he took a step forward. 

_It's another day_ , Hajime thought, quickly finishing off the toast and wiping his hands clean of the crumbs with a spare napkin. He joined the crowd on the sidewalk, stashed away his bento for later, and allowed his eyes to wander. A few familiar faces greeted him and Hajime politely exchanged good mornings and nods of hello, edging the end of the block and waiting patiently for the pedestrian light to flicker green. As he let time tick by, the spiky-haired boy spotted a familiar someone across the street. He blinked in surprise at first, making sure he wasn’t just seeing things. 

Yet there she was, sitting droopily on a bench across the street with her outdated gaming console shoved in her face. It was Chiaki Nanami, best friend status since middle school. Hajime shook his head in amusement as Chiaki slowly nodded off, taking long, quick strides to cross the street when the light changed. He took a seat next to her, his bag resting comfortably on his lap. 

This was the first time in all their close years where Chiaki met up with him on a school morning, and Hajime wondered what changed for today. 

They sat in comfortable silence as Hajime watched. He knew by now not to disturb Chiaki when she was ‘in the zone’ (as she would constantly say) and usually waited for her to finish or pause the round. As if reading his mind, Chiaki paused the round and rubbed at one of her eyes, turning her head to look at Hajime with a slow blink of her pale, pink eyes. Her short, pale mauve hair glowed in the early sunlight. 

A yawn escaped her, and she sleepily muttered, “..Good morning.” 

“Good morning, Chi,” Hajime chuckled, flashing a fond smile at the girl. The curiosity of why she was here in the first place came back. Without pause, Hajime voiced what was on his mind. “What are you even doing here? You’ve never met me here in the mornings, so why now?”

Again, a slow blink. “Just a change of pace.. I guess.” 

Eyelids droopy, Chiaki slowly stood, wobbling in place as she yawned again and stretched her arms over her head. The short haired teenager clutched tightly to her gaming console and began to walk in a certain direction. Hajime followed suit, slinging his bag over his shoulders and trailing after his best friend. He felt there was more to her morning appearance than ‘a change of pace’. Either way, he appreciated Chiaki’s presence, and basked in the companionable silence as they walked side-by-side to school. 

Once more, he allowed his green eyes to wander. 

Many things were noticeable in the beginning of the spring season. Cherry blossoms showcased their beautiful petals, bright in color and graceful in the wind, a welcoming sight no matter how many times he’s seen them over the years. Last night’s rain shower left behind heavy dew clinging to delicate plants and large puddles reflecting pure sunlight. Silhouettes of synchronized bird flocks soared overhead, casting spotted shadows as they darted up and over, the gentle breeze carrying them over the skies. 

Gradually, the density of the crowd began to grow the further they walked into the city. Other high schoolers stuck close to their friend groups, chattering away about latest gossip and news while business men and women quickly paced into tall, fancy buildings, coffee cups clenched tightly in their free hands. Cars sped by, a dog barked somewhere down the street, and Hajime fell into the mindset that today would be a good day. 

No sooner did they arrive at the towering structure of Hope’s Peak Academy, _the_ most prestigious highschool in all of Japan. The spiky haired teen _still_ couldn’t believe he was attending a top tier highschool, even though he was a second year now. But, expectations were set high for him thanks to his twin brother, Izuru Hinata, who also attended this very school. Izuru was the whole reason why Hajime was even _attending_ Hope’s Peak Academy in the first place. Compared to his successful twin, Hajime was nothing. 

And just like that, his good mood dampened with the slight bitterness Hajime felt towards his twin. 

Chiaki's soft voice startled him out of his thoughts. 

"..There's this ice cream shop near campus that I want to try out,” she pulled her cat-like hood over her head, eyes trained on her shoes like they were the most interesting things in the world (besides her games). “One of my classmates works there and you're looking for some place to work part-time for, right?" 

"Uh, yeah. What about it?” Hajime questioned, but he slowly understood where the conversation was going. He straightened up then, eyes wide and alert. "Wait, are they..?" 

"Yup," Chiaki confirmed. "They're looking for employees. This would be an opportunity for you.. I think."

That foreign, cloudy feeling of hope shot up within him, and Hajime had to compose himself from celebrating too early. It was an ice cream shop, after all, so there wasn’t much to expect but.. he thought that having something to be good at would make his parents notice him more. Maybe then, he’d be worth their time and attention whenever Izuru won another award that Hajime couldn’t even try for. The favoritism made Hajime feel bitter towards his twin brother, yet it made him strive to do something in his life that wasn’t ‘average’ or ‘normal’. 

The early bell echoed from Hope’s Peak Academy, its chime reminding them of the time left before homeroom starts. Hajime sighed, but smiled at Chiaki. “I’ll tag along, if that’s okay?”

“Eyup,” came Chiaki’s short reply. “I’ll meet you here after school. Don't be late."

Hajime gave a playful roll of his green eyes, a genuine smile of his face. He felt his mood lift, and was internally grateful for Chiaki's perception and timing. 

The two of them hurried into the campus of Hope’s Peak Academy, splitting up halfway and waving their goodbyes as they rushed to their respective homerooms. The one thing on his mind was the chance of a new opportunity. 

  
  
  
  


The day crawled by much slower than any other. Hajime found himself constantly bouncing his leg, and, at most times, annoying his peers with his restlessness. He guessed it was because, for once, he was looking forward to something. That thought.. made him excited. This was a change to his everyday routine. But how much would change by applying to work at an ice cream shop? 

Hajime shot out of his chair when the final bell rang, hurriedly stuffing his belongings in his bag and running out of class to wait for Chiaki by the front gate. This felt unusual. He’s always waited for everyone to get out of class first before finally leaving the classroom. 

He guessed things _were_ changing. But he couldn’t know for certain. Not just yet. 

His brisk pace brought him to the front gates quicker than expected. Awkwardly, he leaned against one of the gate pillars and got comfortable, fumbling around for his phone to pass the time. First, he opened the group chat he had made with his family a long time ago and shot a notice that he’ll be home a little late today. When it was read by everyone (only Izuru questioned where he was going, but he didn’t bother responding), Hajime pulled up some simple puzzle games and allowed the world to blur away. 

After about the fifth puzzle, someone called out his name, making him look up from his phone. 

Hot pink hair topped with a black beanie and razor sharp teeth. Souda Kazuichi aimed his signature, shark-like smile at him as he slung his arms over Hajime’s shoulders, Chiaki trailing behind a few inches away. Natural green eyes locked with contact pink as Souda spoke excitedly, “Hinata, buddy! You’ve _got_ to come over to my house today. Someone asked me to repair their motorcycle and the bad boy is just _so cooool_!” 

By ‘bad boy’, Hajime knew that Souda was referring to the motorcycle and the motorcycle alone. While the tinkering mechanic was a good friend from Chiaki’s class (and testing a motorcycle _did_ sound a little cool), Hajime had already made plans. 

“Sorry Kazuichi,” Hajime said, shrugging off the other’s arm gently. “But I’ve already got something planned for today.” 

Souda’s excited eyes faltered, and his smile turned crestfallen and hurt. “Aww, what? You never do anything after school.” That sentence sent a stinging thorn through Hajime’s heart, but he hid it well, keeping his face the same. Souda continued after a beat of silence. “Where are you going anyways?” 

“We’re going to Island’s Treasures,” Chiaki butted in, once again tapping away at her gaming console. 

For some reason, the name of the ice cream shop made Souda flail around his arms. He sputtered for a moment, seemingly trying to gather his bearings, before screeching out, “ _That-that place_?!” 

Faster than he could comprehend, Souda latched onto his right arm. Since the bright haired boy was a few inches shorter than him, Hajime looked down at his friend with a mildly bewildered and uncomfortable look. Souda looked back with round, pleading eyes. 

“You can’t go there!” Souda urged, shaking his arm vigorously. “ _He’s_ there!” 

That.. didn’t help his confusion. 

Hajime ran his free hand through his spiky brown hair, trying to ease the sudden nerves that built up from Souda’s confusing warning. In a desperate attempt for help, he looked up at Chiaki just in time to see her blow air into her round cheeks. _Oh boy_. 

“..Just give Komaeda-kun a chance,” was all that Chiaki said before turning on her heel and walking in the opposite direction. 

Hajime blinked at her response. He half-expected Chiaki to scold Souda. 

Slowly, the brown haired teen peeled Souda off his right arm. “I’ve gotta go, too. To make up for today, I can definitely go to your house tomorrow to check out the motorcycle. I promise.” 

“Ooh, alright, fine.” Souda pouted after a moment of silence. It seemed to calm him down, though, as they waved goodbye to each other while Hajime departed. He jogged to catch up to Chiaki’s fleeting form, easily falling into rhythm with her steps. 

The conversation just now made him wonder in anticipation. Then, his mind thought back to the name that Chiaki had mentioned. 

_Who was Komaeda?_

  
  
  
  


A bell twinkled its lovely tune as the door was pulled open. Gentle, cool air kissed Hajime's skin and hair as he crossed the threshold of the bustling city streets to the quiet ice cream shop. Immediately, his green eyes drank in the shop, observing every detail it had to offer. 

It was comfortably spacious. Cushioned table booths were positioned to the left below a painted wall of the seashore and gliding seagulls, the colors mixing together a relaxing display. Faint lighting came from the fluorescent panels in the pastel blue ceiling above, accompanied with the bright afternoon sunlight that shone through the tall windows by the entrance door. The ice cream cases lined the register counter, proudly showcasing the huge tubs of flavors the shop had to offer. A long, black chalkboard spread out across the back to advertise the specials and other sweets, little doodles decorating the corners and whatever free space there was. 

Curiously, Hajime walked towards the ice cream cases and pressed a hand against the glass guard, feeling the dull bite of cold on his palm. His gaze flickered between all the different flavors and colors of ice cream, spotting some common ones like vanilla and butter pecan, and some exotic ones like guava and lychee. 

This place definitely earned the name ‘Island’s Treasures’ for the beach-inspired theme and flavorful pickings. 

When he glanced up from examining the various flavors, Chiaki was sleepily waiting in line to the register. A pair of kids were excitedly bouncing in their place as a frail-looking boy handed them small ice cream cups with a warm smile, accepting the yen bill they slid on the table and waving as the two of them rushed out with flurried chatter. 

“Good afternoon Nanami-chan!”

Hands now free, the white-haired teen cheerfully greeted Chiaki like they were friends, and Hajime remembered that this must be the unnamed classmate she mentioned this morning. 

“Same to you too Komaeda-kun,” Chiaki yawned, then shuffled aside as Hajime joined them. Komaeda glanced at him curiously, that warm smile still on his face. Silver-green locked with green, before the other’s eyes trailed down to observe his uniform, gaze frozen over the Hope’s Peak Academy emblem on Hajime’s blazer. 

Komaeda clapped his hands together excitedly, a bright sparkle in those pale orbs of his. "You're from the same school as Nanamii-chan and I! But, I've never seen you before. What brings you to Island’s Treasures?” 

Hajime hesitated, finding his voice locked away. Why was.. he nervous? 

Komaeda tilted his head slightly, waiting patiently for an answer. Chiaki poked Hajime gingerly to encourage him, but then spoke up for him anyways. 

“Komaeda-kun, this is Hinata Hajime, my best friend,” Chiaki pointed at him, and he gave a small nod in silent greeting. 

“Hajime, this is Komaeda Nagito, my classmate,” she then pointed at the white-haired boy, and Komaeda gave a polite nod in return. “Hajime’s been looking for a part-time job for a while. I recommended this place to check out for a possible opportunity. Maybe.. he’ll get it.” 

Hajime cleared his throat to release his voice, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah, that’s the gist of it..” 

Was he nervous because he was afraid he wouldn’t be given a chance? He’s known for a long time how low his confidence can be, but Hajime never imagined that applying for an ice cream shop would make him so.. _sweaty_. 

He ran a hand through his spiky brown hair, feeling a little better when the individual bristles gently pricked his skin. Hajime held out his other hand, his signature totally-not-awkward-or-nervous smile spread across his face. "Hope we can get along well, Komaeda."

Something shifted in Komaeda's posture then. Before, it was loose and open, almost as if he was presenting himself as vulnerable to be approachable. But now, it stiffened up in barely contained excitement, an imperceptible tremble bouncing his messy, white locks. The sickly-looking boy shot his hands out over the counter to grasp Hajime's outstretched hand, jumping in response to the sudden change. Confusion clouded his mind, green eyes wide as his heart thrummed in nervous rhythm. 

Komaeda, however, was oblivious to his response, an uncontained glee oozing out of him as he chirped. "You're hired!" Clumsily, he dragged Hajime to the back of the register. "I'm the assistant manager for a little while since the owner is out on family emergency, but! With bad luck comes good luck, and you're the good luck I've been waiting for!" 

"..Luck?" 

"Ooh, we'll have a lot of fun working together, Hinata-kun!" 

Hajime glanced back at Chiaki, his desire to be helped clear on his face. She only waved slowly, eyes half-lidded, dismissing his helplessness in the too-fast-to-comprehend-situation. Yes, he was hired and he couldn't believe it! But, he wasn't exactly expecting it to be so.. easy. It was weird and it put him off. There was no interview or anything, nothing like the previous work places he had attempted to sign up for. 

As Komaeda pulled him into a storage room full of ingredients for different flavored ice creams, Hajime droned out his voice, looking around at the sealed, labeled buckets and multiple refrigerators. He only caught snippets of how they made home-made ice cream, vaguely aware of Komaeda shifting to a philosophical rant about hope and despair. Although the boy was.. a bit strange, Hajime found himself looking forward to working here. 

And maybe even getting to know Komaeda Nagito a bit more. 

  
  
  
  


That day flew by in no time. And so did the next, and the next, and the next, until the weather grew warmer and the city grew more active by the week. It had been nearly three months since Hajime’s first official working day in Island’s Treasures, and not a day spent there was ordinary. Komaeda’s luck cycle (as he liked to call it) always gave them an interesting day to be wary of, but it was sometimes something to look forward to. 

There would be funny chances such as watching a pigeon poop on Komaeda, but there were worse ones such as a few amatuer teens attempting to rob their shop, holding Komaeda at gunpoint. The white-haired boy, though, was always weirdly calm about the occurrences. Always wearing that same, friendly smile. Always accepting it like nothing could go against it. 

The good side of the bad luck, however, was that Hajime was there. At least, that’s what Komaeda had said whenever Hajime asked how he could deal with his luck. Hajime himself developed a quicker reaction time due to the countless situations centered around Komaeda’s bad luck. There were times when he tried to interfere with Komaeda getting hurt, or experiencing trauma, but the luck continuously countered with something new. At that point, he gradually gave up trying to prevent Komaeda’s bad luck from striking, floating along with the chaotic waves of odd days. 

It didn’t stop him from enjoying Komaeda’s presence, however. 

Hajime had learned a decent amount of information about the other, yet it didn’t feel like enough. His parents and dog died when he was young, he has stage 3 lymphoma and frontotemporal dementia, and he didn’t have any other friends besides Hajime. 

None of it seemed to bother him. None of it. 

Komaeda was confusing, but he was smart and crazily observant about small things, despite his neurological illness. He was always as considerate as he could be when he noticed Hajime’s sour, unmotivated moods, caused by tense days at home when he was compared to his brother by teachers and his own parents. 

The only thing that really made Hajime uncomfortable was Komaeda’s self-deprecation and hope rants. A conversation would start normally, but then derail from the topic and center around Komaeda’s view of the world and how he was trash and a stepping stone for the brighter future of hope (Hajime, of course, constantly wacks him whenever he calls himself such things). 

Hajime would never admit it aloud, but he was impressed by how deep the pale teen thought about the world. He was also impressed (yet embarrassed) by how deep he can stare into Komaeda’s green-grey eyes for moments too long during a casual conversation. 

Komaeda’s curious head tilts always made him look away, flustered. 

Chiaki had often dropped by the shop since day one, proclaiming it to be her new gaming hotspot when the heat of the closing summer became unbearable, and desired for somewhere peaceful and comforting. The three of them would have a comfortable chat over a shared sundae during break time, but Chiaki mostly watched Hajime and Komaeda bicker back and forth over a small thing. She always smiled at their closeness and resumed her gaming whenever the bickering died down, mindlessly agreeing and shooting down opinions on the latest news and gossip. 

On the weekends, Hajime usually lazed around his room, his mind wandering over Komaeda. His head was often filled with thoughts about the boy, but he’d distract himself with studying and doing school work. If not that, then he’d shoot a text to Komaeda asking if he wanted to walk around the city. He was always met with enthusiasm, both over the phone and in person as they talked and ate comfortably in bright, crowded places. Chiaki sometimes followed along when she had the time, but it was mostly for the arcade games and cool deserts. 

The brown haired boy always cherished the time spent with his new friend and co-worker, even if the time spent hadn’t been as long as Chiaki’s closer friendship. 

He pondered, late at night, if something more could flourish out of Komaeda’s friendship. 

  
  
  
  


Music droned on in the background, filling the air with a soft melody. The whirring of the ice cream machines was nothing but a dim buzz as Hajime wiped down the booth tables with practiced ease, the damp rag wiping away ice cream stains and crumbs left behind by unmannered kids. Behind him, Komaeda hummed to the music he chose, sweeping the pristine, sand-colored tiles in rhythmic motion. 

It was a Saturday night, and the two of them were working on closing up the shop. 

As Hajime opened his mouth to start small talk, the fluorescent lights above blinked out in an instant, and the whirring of the ice cream machines died away. Komaeda’s music suddenly stopped as well, leaving them in complete silence and darkness. His heart rate sped up, a chill running up his spine, but he repeated in his mind that everything is okay and slowly adjusted to the new atmosphere. 

_Is it a blackout?_ The spiky-haired boy thought as he peered through the darkness, hearing slight shuffling from somewhere as Hajime made his way to the shop entrance. He had intended to pull the door open and check outside if other buildings were affected, but it didn’t budge. 

Panic leapt from his stomach, and he tried again, the door rattling in place from his efforts. 

“Shit,” he cursed aloud, backed away and attempted to scan the area through the clear glass. No one was outside. The streets were completely deserted. 

Once again cursing under his breath, Hajime turned to face Komaeda, his panic doubling when other's silhouette was nowhere in sight. He whispered out, “Komaeda?”

Silence. 

Hurriedly, he whipped out his phone and turned on its flashlight feature, bathing the shop in bright, white light and leaving behind sharp, black shadows. Something caught his eye by the register, and he peered closer to inspect. It was Komaeda’s pale, trembling hands gripping the countertop. Hajime moved forward to fully take in the other’s hunched over state. 

The white-haired boy was crouched with his hands grasping the desk counter for dear life, a noticeable tremble running through his body. Komaeda’s face was completely obscured by his wild hair, forehead pressed against the wood and quiet, choked out sounds escaping his lips. Uncertainly, Hajime placed a hand on his friend’s hunched shoulders, feeling the other stiffen under his hesitant touch. 

“Komaeda? Are you okay?” he asked worriedly, brows creasing over his green eyes as he joined him on the floor. Komaeda was still for a few moments, the silence dragging on for too long. Hajime’s eyes lined his torso, seeing the unsteady rise and fall of his chest slowly ebbing away, but not completely. 

“..You shouldn’t worry over someone like me, Hinata-kun,” Komaeda whispered hoarsely, silver-green eyes not meeting his. 

A burst of irritation flared in his heart, narrowed eyes glaring holes into the side of Komaeda's head. Again, the unreasonable self-deprecation that made him want to list off all the amazing things about Komaeda from the top of his head, to try to convince the other that he wasn’t trash or a worthless human being. The sickly teen turned to look at Hajime, stiffening at the heated look. 

Slowly, Komaeda’s voice whispered again. “I’m sorry.”

Hajime exhaled sharply through his nose, shaking his head. “No, don’t apologize,” he refuted, eyes trailing away as he muttered under his breath. “I know by now that I can’t change your mind.” 

Komaeda said nothing, pressing his forehead against the counter wood once more. “..What happened?”

“I don’t really know myself, but I think it’s a blackout. The.. door jammed, so I can’t really check outside and we’re kind of stuck here now,” Hajime explained, rubbing the back of his neck. Komaeda hummed softly in acknowledgment to the information, muttering something under his breath. He didn’t bother guessing the unspoken words. 

Realizing his hand was still atop the other’s shoulder, Hajime awkwardly began to pull it away. However, Komaeda’s thin fingers locked with his wrist, keeping his hand still. His skin flared under the contact, heat spreading across his cheeks as he stuttered out, “Wh-what are you doing?”

“Oh,” Komaeda turned his face to him again, blinking. He let go, almost reluctantly. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s fine,” Hajime reassured, looking at the current time for some sort of distraction. It was 9:17pm.. Chiaki should still be awake. An idea popped to his mind, and he unlocked his phone, scrolling through his small contacts to find Chiaki’s phone number. “I’m going to turn my flashlight off and-”

“No!” Komaeda suddenly blurted out. Hajime stared in surprise. The white-haired boy did a double-take, clearing his throat, eyes slightly pleading. “No, please. I’m-I’m scared of the dark and silence and I..”

Hajime waited patiently for Komaeda to finish, but he never did. “Why don’t you use your phone?”

“It died,” came Komaeda’s quick response. Hajime groaned, tapping the call button and pressing his phone to his ear, their new artificial light still on. 

The line buzzed two times before it clicked, and a slow voice droned into his ear. “Hajimeme?”

Hajime raised an eyebrow at the nickname. “Really?”

“..I was looking at memes,” Chiaki defended drowsily, a yawn echoing through the line. A long pause. “What’s up?”

“Uh,” his eyes flicked over to Komaeda, who turned away quickly when he was caught staring. “Well, we’re uh, trapped in Island’s Treasures.”

A longer pause. “You’re what..?”

“The door is jammed, Komaeda’s scared of the dark and silence, we’re still in the ice cream shop,” Hajime deadpanned. “We’re stuck.”

“Oh,” Chiaki responded quicker this time, sounding more awake. Shuffling came from the other line. “I’ll ring up Souda and drag your brother with us. Operation 'Save the Gays' is a go. Just sit tight and we’ll be there in a few.. maybe.”

Hajime felt a furious blush take over his face, and he spluttered. “‘Sa-save the Gays’?”

Slight amusement painted Chiaki’s final words before the call ended. “..Don’t do anything suspicious.”

An unintelligible noise came out of Hajime’s throat and he looked anywhere but at Komaeda’s intrigued expression. Taking a moment to calm his racing heart (did Chiaki know about his crush?), Hajime gruffly said. “Chiaki, Kazuichi and Izuru will be here in a few.”

“..Ah, I can’t believe I’m bringing so much trouble to such wonderful people,” Komaeda chuckled mirthlessly, slowly unfurling from his hunched over position and settling to sit cross-legged. He seemed to be doing a little better than before, and that brought comfort to Hajime. _Just distract him for the time being_. 

“So..” he set his phone screen-down, the flashlight as bright as ever. “Should we play, uh, Truth or Dare while we wait?”

Komaeda giggled, his eyes crinkling as he smiled that sweet smile. “Why Truth or Dare, Hinata-kun?”

Hajime shrugged. “..For fun?”

The game of Truth or Dare proceeded with dumb dares and silly truths, bringing a little life into the silence. Hajime was against doing the chicken wing dance for Komaeda’s dare, but hearing Komaeda’s genuine laughter and little snorts was totally worth it in the end. As their moment of humor turned into a moment to catch their breath, Hajime felt the satisfying soreness of a wide smile and flustered cheeks. Things were going smoothly, just a little while longer before they would be outside and home again. 

“Hinata-kun, truth or dare?”

“Truth,” Hajime decided after a moment. 

Komaeda went silent in thought, lips curving into a small pout. Hajime may or may not have stared a little too long at his expression. 

“What do you truly think of me, Hinata-kun?” the pale teen finally settled on, looking at Hajime almost expectantly. 

He froze, face turning red as a dozen of little quirks that Komaeda possessed sped through his mind all at once, begging to burst out of his mouth. Hajime composed himself after taking a deep breath, and organized what he wanted to say. 

“Well.. I think that you’re truly one of a kind, Komaeda,” Hajime started, playing with his fingers nervously as his mouth moved without filter. “Even if you’re really irritating with your self-deprecation and your view on people less fortunate, you’re really kind and smart and just really patient and pretty and whenever your eyes just- _light up_ when your favorite topics come along is just one of the many reasons for why I _love you so much_.”

A beat of silence was all it took to comprehend _what the hell he just said_. 

Hajime slapped his hands over his mouth as Komaeda watched him, wide-eyed and gaping. Something unreadable twinkled in those pale depths, and the spiky haired teen mentally kicked himself over and over again for the involuntary confession, face heating with embarrassment. 

"Oh God, Komaeda I-" 

Hajime knew that Komaeda was attracted to guys, but he never said anything about starting relationships. Hajime buried his face in his hands to hide himself. "Please ignore _everything_ I just said."

A moment passed before slender fingers pried his hands away from his face. Hajime screwed his eyes shut as a countermeasure, desperately hoping to avoid the feel of rejection. _I wanted to do this at the right time!_

Komaeda's chuckle filled his ears, making Hajime's heart skip a beat. "I.. didn't expect that." 

"..What did you expect?" Hajime choked out, finally finding the courage to open his eyes. The smiling face of Komaeda was the first thing he saw. 

"I don't know, maybe something.. shorter?" Komaeda's own cheeks flushed and he played with a lock of white, wild hair. "Not something like that. I didn't know you were such a sap, Hinata-kun."

He didn't know what to feel, what to say. Should he feel relieved, or anxious? Relieved that Komaeda didn't outright reject him? Or anxious that Komaeda hasn't said anything in return to what he had said?

"I-"

Something burst through the front entrance, prompting Hajime to let out a short scream of surprise as the sound of shattering glass filled the room. The spiky haired teen peeked over the counter cautiously, only to see the familiar silhouette of his twin brother, standing eerily at the doorway. He stared intensely at the shattered door, red eyes unblinking and long black hair tied back. 

Izuru's gaze slowly moved to Hajime and Komaeda. "I will pay for that later." 

Souda's voice butted in, high-pitched as ever. "Duuude! You broke the door! I know we told you to make a cool entrance, but we didn't mean _kicking it open_!!" 

Chiaki stepped in after Souda, her hand over her eyes like she was shielding them from the non-existent sun. Her pink orbs spotted the two of them through the dark. "We've done it, chief. Mission accomplished.. I think."

Hajime slumped to the floor, relieved that they would be able to go home now. As Souda, Chiaki and Izuru inspected the now shattered glass door, something slinked into his left hand. Hajime glanced down to see Komaeda's pale hand in his own. He glanced at Komaeda's face, only to find him staring back with that same unreadable twinkle from before. 

"Meet again tomorrow?" Komaeda silently asked. 

His heart hammered in his chest, butterflies fluttering in his stomach. Hajime grinned so wide from the joy he felt that small dimples formed on both of his cheeks. 

"It's a date."

**BONUS:**

Little sketch made by Futon!

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism and future story prompts are always welcomed!


End file.
